A shopkeeper in Coventry has hit out at rising taxes and warned not enough is being done to tackle illegal vapes and tobacco.
For 42 years, Paul Cheema and his family have run convenience stores in Coventry, but competing with those selling illegal products is one of the many things threatening his business.
On June 1, the ban on disposable vapes will come into effect, with the Tobacco and Vapes Bill currently in Parliament with the aim of creating the first smoke-free generation.
Combined with increases to employer National Insurance and business rates, Paul worries about the impact all of this could have on his shops.
A shopkeeper in Coventry has hit out at rising taxes and warned not enough is being done to tackle illegal vapes and tobacco
GB News
He told GB News: “There is going to be job cuts, there is going to be stores closing.
“It’s making us think about reducing our opening hours because of business rates, the new wage increase, National Insurance and now the Tobacco and Vapes bill.
“I don’t think we’ll be able to operate the same hours as we did before, and that’s going to have an impact to staff hours, so there will be jobs lost, not just here but across the whole of the UK.
“It’s unfair, we are community retailers, we employ people from our local communities, and I just think the government are going about this the wrong way.”
Now, Paul has started a campaign aimed at showing government the scale of the problem, urging shopkeepers around the country to sign up and send a message to the Business Secretary, Jonathan Reynolds.
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As Chairman of C-Talk, a community of independent retailers and brands, Cheema hopes the Government will reconsider their policy and crackdown on what he sees as the real issue.
He said: “Why not tackle the problem properly, and if it’s children you want to stop buying tobacco, let’s do something about that.
“Where are children going to buy tobacco? It’s from these new micro mini marts that are popping up everywhere.
“I think smoking is going to increase because these illegal shops are enticing people to smoke. When you can buy a single cigarette for 20p, what are you going to do?”
Shops selling illegal vapes and tobacco are causing Paul’s business to lose tens of thousands of pounds every single year.
He gave GB News a first-hand look at just how easy it is for consumers to buy these products online, with social media advertising aiming to push sales.
The website Paul scrolls on his phone promotes cheaper ‘sample’ packs of tobacco at a quarter of the price of what a normal consumer would pay when taxes are added.
On June 1, the ban on disposable vapes will come into effect, with the Tobacco and Vapes Bill currently in Parliament with the aim of creating the first smoke-free generation
GB News
As part of a crackdown on illegal vapes and tobacco, Coventry City Council say tobacco detection dogs have been part of an illicit goods crackdown at five premises in the city centre last month, with tobacco found behind false walls, inside furniture and inside vehicles.
Away from losing money to the illegal trade, staff have dealt with shoplifting and other violent incidents. CCTV shown to GB News by Paul sees one man pack multiple items off the shelf and put them straight into a rucksack.
Another clip shows a man jumping on the counter, demanding staff open the till so he can steal cash.
In response to Paul’s concerns, agovernment spokesperson said:“We are rightly delivering the world-leading Tobacco and Vapes Bill to create the first smoke-free generation and end the cycle of addiction and disadvantage.
“It is also vital we support local retailers and get Britain’s high street thriving again, which is why we will fully consult with retailers and local councils ahead of introducing licensing regulations.
“We will continue to work with them to ensurethe regulation changes are successfully implemented. We are protecting retailers and small businesses by providing 40% business rates relief next year as well as a new permanent lower business rate from 2026.”
